Multi-purpose ladder assembly

ABSTRACT

An improved multi-purpose ladder assembly includes a collapsible stepladder portion, a lean ladder portion which may be extendable, and locking means such as pivot pins releasably pivotably interconnecting the two portions through aligned apertures in aperture-defining means adjacent the apex of the stepladder portion. Means are also provided for adjusting the length of the lean ladder portion while bracing the same against the stepladder portion. The assembly is readily collapsible to a compact storage postion while the components thereof remain interconnected. Means including pivotable upper brace plates may be provided for bracing the extension ladder portion and for releasably holding the pivot pins in place. Means may further be provided to releasably hold work articles, such as brushes and the like, adjacent the sides of either or both ladder portions.

United States Patent 1191 Higgins Oct. 30, 1973 MULTI-PURPOSE LADDER ASSEMBLY [57] ABSTRACT [76] Inventor: Leon G. Higgins, 5914 S. Fairfax, An improved multi-purpose ladder assembly includes Los Angeles, Calif. 90056 a collapsible stepladder portion, a lean ladder portion which may be extendable, and locking means such as [22] Filed June 1972 pivot pins releasably pivotably interconnecting the two [21] Appl. N0.: 260,669 portions through aligned apertures in aperturedefining means adjacent the apex of the stepladder portion. Means are also provided for adjusting the 182/22 gg ig length of the lean ladder portion while bracing the [58] Fieid 23 25 same against the stepladder portion. The assembly is 105 readily collapsible to a compact storage postion while the components thereof remain interconnected. [56] R f nces Cit d Means including pivotable upper brace plates may be UNITED STATES PATENTS provided for bracing the extension ladder portion and for releasably holding the pivot pins in place. Means 2 g -may further be provided to releasably hold work 1973774 9/1934 a'i articles, such as brushes and the like, adjacent the ]:004:883 10/1911 izj: sides of either or both ladder portions.

3,213,963 lO/l965 Vogt 182/111 1,243,732 10 1917 Goss 248 210 10 6 D'awmg Fgures Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado AttorneyHenry M. Bissell l MULTI-PURPOSE LADDER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to ladder devices and more particularly to multiple purpose ladders.

2. Description of the Prior Art Stepladders generally do not include components which enable such ladders to be extended for use in situations where extra height is required. Moreover, when such ladders are designed to be extendable, they generally are bulky, expensive, cumbersome and/or difficult to use. So also are other types of multipurpose ladders.

Moreover, extension and lean ladders usually do not include very secure and safe supports, so then as one proceeds upwards on such ladders some risk of falling is involved if the ladder shifts sideways or slides back.

The foregoing types of ladders usually do not provide means for rapidly assembling and disassembling the same and for rapidly folding and unfolding the same. Moreover, the components of most such ladders are permanently pinned together so that if one major com ponent is damaged, the ladder cannot be easily repaired and reused.

In addition to the above, it is well known that conventional ladders usually do not provide adequate means for holding work articles, such as paint brushes and the like, in the most natural and convenient position for use while on the ladder.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a safe, simple, inexpensive, multi-purpose step-and-lean ladder assembly, preferably extendable and incorporating convenient work articleholding means and special bracing means to improve its utility. Such assembly should be easily assembled and disassembled, opened, closed and stored in a minimum amount of space for maximum durability and convenience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved ladder assembly of the present invention satisfies the foregoing needs and requirements. Not only is it simple, inexpensive, durable and conveient and safe to use, but it can be employed as a stepladder or lean ladder with equal facility and with improved performance. Moreover, it can be made adjustable and extendable and preferably employs special bracing and supporting means, as well as very convenient work article-holding means. It can be easily folded to a compact package while disassembled or assembled to facilitate its storage. The construction of the improved ladder assembly of the invention is substantially as set forth in the Abstract above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the present invention may be had from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the improved multipurpose ladder assembly of the invention, showing such assembly in partially assembled condition;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the ladder assembly of FIG. 1 in fully assembled condition;

sembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the assembly of FIG. 2 in the assembled fully collapsed storage position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Now referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of'the ladder assembly of the invention is schematically shown in perspective view therein. Thus, an assembly 10 is illustrated which includes a stepladder portion 12 and a lean ladder portion 14 releasably and pivotably interconnected (FIG. 2) at the upper end ofladder portion 12 by releasable locking means 16 comprising a plurality of pivot pins 18 releasably disposed through aligned transverse apertures in aperture-defining means. Each pin 18 may include a knurled handle 19 and an elongated pivot shaft of smaller diameter than handle 19.

Portion 12 includes two sections 22 and 24, each section comprising a pair of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending, legs 26 interconnected by transversely extending spaced steps or rungs 28. Lean ladder portion 14 includes a pair of longitudinally extending rails 30 interconnected by spaced transversely extending steps or rungs 32.

Apertures 20 extend transversely directly through each leg 26 of section 24 near the upper end thereof, while apertures 34 extend transversely through plates 36 connected to and extending rearwardly from the upper end of legs 26 of section 22, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Apertures 38 extend transversely through plates 40 connected to and extending rearwardly of the lower ends of rails 30. Apertures 20, 34 and 38 are alignable so that pins 18 can extend therethrough to hold sections 22 and 24 and portion 14 together for pivoting therearound.

Legs 26 of section 24 can be spaced apart wider than legs 26 of section 22 and rails 30 of portion 14 to facilitate full collapsing of assembly 10 to the position shown in FIG. 6. Sections 22 and 24 are also provided with a pair of collapsible cross-braces 42, each brace 42 being pivotably connected to one leg 26 of each section of portion 12. Each brace 42 comprises a pair of elongated members 44 hingedly interconnected at one end thereof, and a lock plate 46 borne on one such member and disposed over the hinge point.

Preferably, assembly 10 includes a pair of upper bracing plates 48 connected to rails 30 adjacent their upper ends. Plates 48 preferably include gripping surfaces 50 of rubber or the like and are pivotably connected to rails 30, as by wire supports 52 and pivot pins 54. Plates 48 provide a non-slipgripping surface for the lean ladder portion 14 of assembly 10 against a wall or the like. Preferably lower bracing plates 56 are secured to the bottom end of legs 26 and include a gripping surface 58, also of rubber or the like, to assure non-slip support for assembly 10.

In order to permit lean ladder portion 14 to be adjustable to any desired extension length, plates 40 preferably are provided with curved hook portions 60 or the like support means engageable with steps 28 to support portion 14 thereagainst.

Preferably, also provided are work article rack re ceivers or sheaths 62 secured to the outer side (or sides) of legs 26 and/or rails 30. Each receiver 62 includes a pocket 64 within which is releasably disposed the support arm 66 of a work article rack 68, such as is shown in FIG. 5. Rack 68 includes a plate 70 with means such as spaced apertures 72 forextending therethrough for releasably supporting work articles such as paint bruches, trowels, hammers, screw drivers and the like. Arm 66 depends from one side of plate 70 so that plate 70 extends transversely and laterally of receiver 62, for maximum convenience and ease of accessibility to a person while on assembly 10.

With assembly assembled as shown in FIG. 2, ladder portion 14 can pivot from a fully lowered to a fully raised position, and sections 22 and 24 can be moved from a fully collapsed or closed position adjacent one another to the open position shown in FIG. 2. In the open position braced by braces 44, the stepladder portion 12 of assembly 10 is very solid. Moreover, it forms a solid base for lean ladder portion 14, a substantial improvement over similar devices of the prior art, while still enabling portion 14 to freely pivot, as previously described. Plates 48 and 56 impart further solidity and stability to assembly 10 in use.

It will be understood that if portion 14 is not desired for a particular job, it can be easily detached from assembly 10 merely by removing pins 18 from apertures 38 and moving portion 14 away from sections 22 and 24. Pins 18 need not be withdrawn from apertures 34 and 20. If-either of sections 22 and 24 or portion 14 breaks, it also can easily be removed from assembly 10 and replaced by a new section or portion of the same construction without the need to throw away the entire ladder assembly 10.

An optional safety feature is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. In this regard, a modified pivot pin 74 is shown which includes a knurled handle 76 and an elongated shaft 78 which bears at its free end a releasable lock means in the form of an aperture 80 extending into shock 78 and a key 82 releasably disposed in aperture 80 and extending above the surface of shaft 78. Shaft 78 can pass through aligned apertures 20, 34 and 38 without key 82 in place, whereupon key 82 can be inserted in aperture 80 to prevent inadvertent removal of pin 74 from apertures 20, 34 and 38 and consequent inadvertent disassembly of the components of assembly 10.

For added safety and ease of handling, particularly when the ladder is being moved into positionwith the lean ladder section 14 attached, a latching arrangement is provided which secures the lean ladder portion 14 to the stepladder portion 12 at a predetermined angle. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, this comprises a spring portion 92 attached to the lean ladder section 14 (preferably as part of the upper bracing plate 40) and shaped to engage a notch 94 of the stepladder section 12 (preferably part of the lower brace plate 36). The portion 92 is easily releasable when the ladder is in place to permit the upper end of the lean ladder 14 with pads 48 to bear against the building, tree or other support surface with which the ladder is associated in use. Bearing surfaces 96 and 98 are included in this configuration to provide full support for the lean ladder portion when it in the erected mode.

If it is desired to make assembly 10 as compact as possible in the fully collapsed position, steps 28 of section 24 can be made in the form of rungs, i.e., of minimum depth so that section 24 and portion 14 can nest thereagainst partially within the confines of legs 26 of section 24.

In constructing assembly 10, any suitable materials, such as wood, metal, plastic or the like can be used in any suitable combination. For maximum light weight, aluminum or magnesium can be used, although these materials are generally more expensive than wood.

Accordingly, an improved multi-purpose ladder assembly having substantial advantages over conventional ladders is provided. All modifications, changes, alterations and additions which are within the scope of the appended claims will be considered to form part of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved multi-purpose ladder assembly comprising, in combination:

a. a collapsible stepladder portion, including 1. two separate sections, each section comprising a pair of spaced parallel legs and plurality of spaced steps extending transversely of said legs between said legs and interconnecting said legs, each said leg bearing means defining an aperture adjacent the upper end thereof and extending transversely therethrough, said apertures of said sections being aligned; and,

2. a hinged cross-brace secured to and hingedly interconnecting each said section for movement of said sections between a collapsed storage posi tion and an extended working position;

b. a lean ladder portion comprising a pair of parallel spaced rails and a plurality of spaced steps extending transversely of said rails between said rails and interconnecting said rails, each said rail bearing means defining an aperture adjacent the lower end thereof extending transversely therethrough, said apertures being aligned with each other and also with said apertures of said sections; and

c. locking means extending through said aligned apertures and releasably locking said sections and said lean ladder portion together for pivoting around said locking means.

2. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a plurality of locking pins, each comprising a knurled handle portion and a shaft dimensioned to be slideably received within said apertures.

3. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 2 wherein said shaft bears means for releasably securing the pin to the portion of said rail or leg defining said aperture.

4. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 1 wherein said aperture defining means for at least one of said sections and said lean ladder portion include plates defining said apertures and secured to and extending outwardly from said legs and said rails.

5. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 4 wherein said aperture defining means for one of said sections comprises the upper end of the legs thereof, each having a transverse aperture therethrough, and wherein said plates connected to said rails include step-engageable support means adapted to releasably engage steps of one of said sections for supporting said lean ladder portion in a preselected extended position.

6. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 5 wherein said sections, lean ladder portion and plates are dimensioned relative to one another such that said assembly is fully collapsible to a storage position with said sections overlying each other and said lean ladder portion underlying said sections while said sections and lean ladder portion are locked together.

7. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 4 further including means for releasably latching the lean ladder portion to one of the stepladder sections to maintain the lean ladder portion at a predetermined angle relative to said one stepladder section.

8. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 7 wherein said latching means comprises a notch in the stepladder section and a spring release catch one of said legs includes in the outwardly facing surface.

thereof rack receiving means and wherein a rack is releasably received therein and extends laterally thereof, said rack defining a plurality of work article-receiving apertures. 

1. An improved multi-purpose ladder assembly comprising, in combination: a. a collapsible stepladder portion, including
 1. two separate sections, each section comprising a pair of spaced parallel legs and a plurality of spaced steps extending transversely of said legs between said legs and interconnecting said legs, each said leg bearing means defining an aperture adjacent the upper end thereof and extending transversely therethrough, said apertures of said sections being aligned; and,
 2. a hinged cross-brace secured to and hingedly interconnecting each said section for movement of said sections between a collapsed storage position and an extended working position; b. a lean ladder portion comprising a pair of parallel spaced rails and a plurality of spaced steps extending transversely of said rails between said rails and interconnecting said rails, each said rail bearing means defining an aperture adjacent the lower end thereof extending transversely therethrough, said apertures being aligned with each other and also with said apertures of said sections; and c. locking means extending through said aligned apertures and releasably locking said sections and said lean ladder portion together for pivoting around said locking means.
 2. a hinged cross-brace secured to and hingedly interconnecting each said section for movement of said sections between a collapsed storage position and an extended working position; b. a lean ladder portion comprising a pair of parallel spaced rails and a plurality of spaced steps extending transversely of said rails between said rails and interconnecting said rails, each said rail bearing means defining an aperture adjacent the lower end thereof extending transversely therethrough, said apertures being aligned with each other and also with said apertures of said sections; and c. locking means extending through said aligned apertures and releasably locking said sections and said lean ladder portion together for pivoting around said locking means.
 2. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a plurality of locking pins, each comprising a knurled handle portion and a shaft dimensioned to be slideably received within said apertures.
 3. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 2 wherein said shaft bears means for releasably securing the pin to the portion of said rail or leg defining said aperture.
 4. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 1 wherein said aperture defining means for at least one of said sections and said lean ladder portion include plates defining said apertures and secured to and extending outwardly from said legs and said rails.
 5. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 4 wherein said aperture defining means for one of said sections comprises the upper end of the legs thereof, each having a transverse aperture therethrough, and wherein said plates connected to said rails include step-engageable support means adapted to releasably engage steps of one of said sections for supporting said lean ladder portion in a preselected extended position.
 6. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 5 wherein said sections, lean ladder portion and plates are dimensioned relative to one another such that said assembly is fully collapsible to a storage position with said sections overlying each other and said lean ladder portion underlying said sections while said sections and lean ladder portion are locked together.
 7. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 4 further including means for releasably latching the lean ladder portion to one of the stepladder sections to maintain the lean ladder portion at a predetermined angle relative to said one stepladder section.
 8. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 7 wherein said latching means comprises a notch in the stepladder section and a spring release catch member affixed to the lean ladder portion for automatically releasably engaging the notch when the lean ladder portion is at said predetermined angle.
 9. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 3 wherein at least one of said sections includes lower bracing plates connected to the bottom of each of the legs thereof and including gripping surfaces, and wherein said rails bear upper bracing plates pivotably connected thereto, said bracing plates including facing gripping surfaces.
 10. The improved multi-purpose ladder assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said rails and at least one of said legs includEs in the outwardly facing surface thereof rack receiving means and wherein a rack is releasably received therein and extends laterally thereof, said rack defining a plurality of work article-receiving apertures. 